Press Release: Police Attempt to Infiltrate Tree-sit

Jennifer Charles
(831) 430-6791
LRDPaction.media [at] gmail.com

Press Release: Police Attempt to Infiltrate Tree-sit

10/09/07
Santa Cruz, Ca-- Thursday night police attempted to spy on the UCSC tree-sit and were foiled when protesters learned of their plans. A student saw a man in his early 20's get out of a police car and get on a bike heading towards the tree-sit. The student then called friends at the tree-sit, who confronted the man and asked him to leave.

Later that evening, at 8:45, police announced to the tree-sit supporters that they were there illegally and ordered them to disperse. In response, dozens of supporters arrived and a Students Against War (SAW) Teach-in moved its location to the base of the tree-sit. Many supporters said that they would sleep at the site in case the police decided to attack again.

These incidents followed the launch of a tree-sit on Wednesday in opposition to UCSC's Long Range Development Plan, which calls for the addition of 4,500 students to campus and the destruction of 120 acres of forest. At a rally on Wednesday, non-violent protesters were
pepper-sprayed and beaten with batons by police while attempting to get supplies to tree-sitters who had spent a long night with no food or water.

The violence on the part of the police was in keeping with the UC's history of dealing with non-violent protesters. In 2006, under then acting-Chancellor Blumenthal, police brutalized students with pepper-spray and batons during a campus visit by the UC Regents. Students were also attacked during the infamous Tent University event of 2005, when police used pressure point pain compliance methods to remove students who were sitting on the ground with arms linked.

"This is typical UCSC police behavior," said Jennifer Charles, a media spokesperson for the tree-sit. "It doesn't surprise me that the police are trying to spy on us now."

Students and community members have claimed the space under the tree-sit as their own, decorating the pavement and building structures out of fallen redwood limbs. Friday night, they will hold a celebration at 7pm in honor of their successful defense of the space and the future of LRDP opposition.

Tree-Sit Celebration
7pm, Tree-Sit Liberated Zone

Directions: From the base of UCSC, take Coolidge to Hagar, turn left. Make a left on McLaughlin. The Liberated Zone is on the left-hand side after the bridge, across from engineering.